I cannot stress the importance of a proper Helpdesk or Service desk implementation, preferable with ITIL.
There are way too many incidents that do not get logged properly in the system. We call them “drive-by’s” (though this isn’t funny in some major US cities). All incidents should be logged via an online web form, email, or telephone.
That being said, I can break down the top 7 issues that Helpdesk centers get on a regular basis, with the top 2 reason accounting for over 80% of ALL tickets.
- forgotten passwords (especially with 2 factor authentication)
- can’t access email, email not working (especially for those with mobile devices like Blackberry)
- problems with connectivity to VPN
- Hardware failure
- Application problems
- Slow PC, slow network, slow everything…
- Printer not working
As you can see from the above list, you have a combination of incidents and problems. And let’s not forget about the IT Cowboys who do changes on the server which can result in these incidents and problems in the first place!
That is why you need ITIL ready functionalities: Incident management, Problem management, Change management and Configuration management database.
But it’s not as simple as that, either.
Why?
Here is my take on the top 3 issues for helpdesk departments:
- Having no or poor knowledge of customers
- Managing the complexity of change
- The pressure to handle increased call volumes, faster, across multiple departments in different time zones.
The 3rd item is the important one, and a proper helpdesk software can be the key to the success of your department and overall respect and reputation for the IT department.
It’s also an item that you have full control over, and making the right choice in software is important, whether you choose an on premise solution or a cloud based solution.
To be continued…
